I'll Never Forget
by mat528
Summary: Suppose Jeannie persuaded Tony to elope with her instead of having the simple ceremony they talked about? What might happen? This is an Alternate Universes tale.
1. Chapter 1

I'LL NEVER FORGET…

**A/N: I thought about this when I saw the last black and white Season One episode in the series…**_**I'll Never Forget What's Her Name. **_**Suppose** **Jeannie persuaded Tony to elope with her instead of having the simple ceremony they talked about? Would they be married, or not? What might happen? This is an Alternate Universes tale.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, not even any recognizable dialogue from Sidney Sheldon's episode. It all belongs to his estate and Columbia Pictures (Screen Gems) and trust me when I say this is a labor of love, not profit.**

**Time Period: 1965, end of the first season, right when Jeannie and Tony are dancing at his home.**

Tony danced with the woman he thought was Jeannie Gordon, his Aunt Pauline's friend. She had been his companion these several evenings, and he never wanted the evenings to end. His mind was made up; he would tell her what he dreamt each night since the day they had met almost a week ago. True, it was sudden, and Jeannie might think he was moving too fast, but wasn't that the way his father had been with his mother when he'd asked Miss Elbright to become Missus Nelson?

He held the most wonderful girl he'd ever seen in his arms (even if he thought she was weird too…she always wanted coffee at the most inopportune times) and his heart sang as he told her, "you're a marvelous dancer, Jeannie."

The blonde haired, blue eyed young woman he thought was human breathed a loving breath as she said, "_anyone_ can dance with you."

They swirled to the enchanting music awhile longer as Tony whispered in her ear that he could dance with her forever. As they found themselves waltzing in the living room, the astronaut's grip on her hands grew tighter. Jeannie could tell that the atmosphere had changed dramatically, and she was frightened.

"Jeannie…" Tony began lovingly, adoringly.

Jeannie pulled away from him slightly. Oh, she knew what he wanted in that moment; knew what he was going to ask her, but she didn't know if this was right. She had kept her greatest secret from him, making him think not only that she knew his Aunt Pauline, but that she was a flesh-and-blood woman from Wisconsin where he grew up, or Florida, where they were now. The ultimate question hung in her mind like a thick, dark cloud.

What would he do when he found out that she was a two thousand year old genie from Baghdad?

_I have to tell him, _she thought.

Her hands flew to his mouth as she said, "Do not say it." Tony removed her hand from his mouth and he smiled.

"I've got to say it," he replied, looking down into her limpid, azure pools and drowning in them.

"I love you, Jeannie. I want to marry you," he told her. Jeannie tried protesting once more, although she wasn't putting up too much resistance.

"But you do not know anything about me," she said. Tony looked at her with absolute adoration.

"I know all I need to know about you," he said simply. _My eyes and my heart give me a dozen reasons why you'd be the perfect wife, _he thought.

_Last chance, _the magic woman thought, _before I am forever silent on this._

"I-I must tell you what I really am," she responded, her fear palpable. Tony would have none of it. He kept staring at her with happiness in his eyes.

"I know what you really are," he breathed with conviction. "You're the only girl I've fallen in love with."

And, there it was. Jeannie knew that this was right. They both loved each other so much, and she couldn't deny him any longer. She would find the way to either keep her secret hidden, or she would break the news to him later. After all, it had worked for a friend of hers that she sometimes visited in upstate New York with _her _mortal husband, Darrin. It could work for them. In fact, in time Jeannie could be a benefit to him with her magic. But, she did ask once more if he was sure. When Tony answered in the affirmative, she told him that if he wished it, she would.

"I do wish it," he told her without hesitation.

"Then it would be wrong not to marry you, would it not?" she asked as the clouds in her mind cleared away. Tony was about to answer when they heard a car pulling up.

Jeannie was afraid as she asked hurriedly, "may I have another cup of coffee, please?"

Tony's look was incredulous as he asked, "you want a cup of coffee at a time like this?" _I know my coffee is good, but huh? _The astronaut thought.

"Please…" Jeannie requested. Tony shook his head, not too angry, just baffled.

"I guess I do have a few things to learn about you, don't I," he said, exiting the living room and going into the kitchen.

The doorbell rang, and Jeannie opened the door to the real Miss Gordon, a dark haired, mousy looking, older woman. After telling the lady that she was getting married and getting Miss Gordon's congratulations, Jeannie peered out in the darkness once the woman had left for Major Roger Healey, the one man who could ruin everything. She was running out of places to send him, but if need be, she could blink him to the moon…in a space suit, of course…if she had to to keep him quiet.

Tony entered with a tray full of coffee and all the fixings, saying, "here's your coffee."

"Coffee at a time like this?" she asked, grabbing Tony and kissing him fiercely.

Jeannie then saw her nemesis through the window in the living room. He was silently begging not to be blinked anywhere, but she _had _to, as her mind seized on a plan. While Tony was still hugging her, his back to the window, Jeannie blinked, sending Roger in a wet suit to the bottom of the sea.

XXXXXXXXXXX

At the bottom of the ocean, Roger cried, "JEANNIE!!" He knew he would, more than likely, be blinked back soon. Her little excursions didn't last long, but they made his goal that much more important. He _had _to get Tony alone to tell his best friend about Jeannie. Roger started to swim for dry land despite the cramps in his legs.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"I have been thinking," Jeannie said brightly. "Perhaps we should elope!"

"Elope…" Tony turned the word around in his mind for a moment. He knew his mother and friends wanted a big ceremony for him but the space man never wanted that for himself, even when he'd been engaged to Melissa Stone way back when. One glance at the smiling woman before him gave him all the impetus he needed.

"That's a _wonderful _idea!" Tony exclaimed. He was usually the type of man who was not spontaneous, but Jeannie made it so easy. He had told her how comfortable it was to be with her…how natural. So why not get married on the sneak from everyone else? He had vacation time NASA owed him, didn't he? Tony called Doctor Bellows and, after checking, got a green light to go on a 10 day vacation.

"It's all arranged," he told Jeannie after hanging up. "I can drive you home, or you can meet me at NASA after you pack some things. How does Jacksonville sound for getting married? They have a beautiful hotel there that I've been to before. We can stay overnight after the elopement, then fly out in the morning to Savannah, Georgia for a honeymoon, or wherever you want."

"That sounds great," Jeannie said, adding that she would meet Tony at NASA. When he left, Jeannie blinked in a suitcase, full of clothing for her, and another smaller one for him. The bottle was safely tucked away inside her case. Glancing at the room once more that would be hers in a few hours, the magic maiden left the house to join him.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO: I'LL NEVER FORGET…

**A/N: I took the liberty of having Roger be coincidentally blinked to Jacksonville, only because I figure Jeannie would want to send him away from Cocoa Beach. There's also a reworking of the scene where Roger breaks the news to Tony about Jeannie.**

**Reviews are love.**

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jeannie stared at the lobby of the plush looking hotel in Jacksonville. Although the city didn't resemble much, the hotel sat amongst its buildings like a gem that had been tucked away in a jewelry chest before it was newly discovered. It was something out of her home town in the Middle East. Rich, royal blue rugs bearing an Indian design with flowers sat on top of Mahogany colored floors; tables with golden urns full of white and red roses were in the lobby. The hotel staff were dressed in clothes resembling either harem costumes or the male garments of ancient Persia.

"Get a look at this place!" Tony marveled. "When I was last here, this hotel didn't look like this. It must have cost them a fortune to remodel!"

He and Jeannie made their way to the huge check-in desk on the far side of the lobby. Jeannie glanced up at the chandelier on the ceiling with its sparkling crystals and the high ceilings done in a pale yellow and she thought once more about what she and Major Nelson were about to do.

"I'm Major Anthony Nelson," Tony told the Concierge. He handed the staff member an ID and the man looked it up and down.

"This picture doesn't do you justice," he commented. "My son is a big fan of yours."

"I'm flattered," Tony replied honestly. "If you want to give him my autograph on something…".

"Thanks," the Concierge said, handing Tony a piece of hotel stationery. After the astronaut signed it, the man reached into two of the vacant slots behind him. He handed Major Nelson two keys to his room.

"Welcome to The Oasis," the man greeted. "I hope you and your wife will have a wonderful time."

Tony gestured to Jeannie, saying, "Actually, we're not married yet."

"But we soon will be, day after tomorrow," Jeannie said. The Concierge gave them a half-appreciative, half-dirty look. He reached behind him, producing two more keys to a room that, while it was on the same floor, was at the other end of the hall.

"And I hope you enjoy your stay, Miss," the staff member said. "Congratulations to you both." Tony looked longingly at Jeannie, but he did want to wait until they were married before taking their relationship into the stratosphere sexually. The couple took the elevator to the third floor.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Roger emerged from the hospital two hours later. The doctor had pronounced that he had a slight case of the bends but he should be right as rain in no time, given his excellent health. He gave the blond nurse who had attended him an appreciative look and told her to call him sometime.

The nurse rolled her eyes and shook her head as she went to her next patient. Roger hobbled out of the hospital as he wondered how long it would take to reach Doctor Bellows to get a more thorough examination.

His eyes fell on the paper sitting in a dispenser in the main floor of the hospital. Picking up _The Jacksonville Courier, _Roger exclaimed, "Jacksonville! Oh, no!!"

The astronaut knew time was of the essence, but how could he drive to Cocoa Beach in his condition? More importantly, would Jeannie have already married Tony by the time he reached there? His eyes lighted on a pair of payphones in the corner.

"The phone...!" he yelled, thumping his head. "Why didn't I think of that before?"

Roger rushed over to them and was about to make a call when a woman wearing a chinchilla stole took the phone on the left and an orderly took the phone on the right.

"Excuse me, but I have to make an important call!" Roger told the woman. She looked over at him and her eyes drew together in a frown.

"No, Mirt!" she snapped to the voice on the line. "Some guys can't wait their turn!" The woman rudely turned back to her call. Roger turned pleading eyes on the orderly, but he just simply turned so that his back was revealed totally to the astronaut.

Roger went out of the hospital looking for a phone booth on the street. He just _had _to get Tony alone; he _had _to make his best friend listen to him! When he couldn't find one, the astronaut saw a hotel across the street. He went into the lobby, not bothering to check its Arabian décor.

"Excuse me," he asked the manager, "do you have a telephone?"

The manager pointed to a row of telephones in the back of the lobby. Roger sprinted toward the phones even as the elevator dinged. Jeannie and Tony emerged from it while Roger's back was turned.

"Now, we have to get a blood test and a marriage license," Tony said, "everything above board and legal." Jeannie caressed his cheek. She had waited two thousand years for this man. She could wait a little longer for a medical test and a license. They started walking toward the front door when Tony snapped his fingers.

"Oh, sorry!" he told Jeannie. "I forgot my pad and the book of tourist attractions!" He headed for the elevators stating that he would go get them. Jeannie settled down into a chair to wait.

Meanwhile, Roger was getting more and more agitated that his best friend was not at home. He hoped that Tony hadn't married Jeannie yet. When he couldn't reach his friend, Roger dialed NASA.

On the third ring, he got a sergeant. "Is Major Nelson in?" Roger asked breathlessly. The sound of the sergeant's shuffling some papers could be heard.

"No, according to this, he is going to be on leave for the next ten days," the officer said. "May I give him any message, Major Healey?"

Roger said dejectedly, "No, that's okay." He hung up the phone and started to leave the hotel. It was as he walked past Jeannie's easy chair that he spied her out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh, boy…" he said, and a moment later he found himself holding onto the top of the Eifel tower.

"JEANNIE!!" Roger shouted as several people in fireman garb came to his rescue.

While Roger was holding on for dear life, Tony came downstairs into the lobby of the Oasis in Jacksonville.

"Hope I didn't keep you waiting, darling," Tony told Jeannie. The magic girl managed a smile despite a twinge of guilt at blinking Roger away to Paris. Major Nelson saw her slight distress and held her close in a protective hug.

"What is it, Jeannie?" he asked. Jeannie pulled away from Tony and forced herself to remain calm before she started crying or gave the game away.

"Oh, it was nothing…" she said. "Maybe we should go."

"Are you sure?" Tony asked, concerned. "If you're not feeling well, I could get the license."

The blonde magic girl shook her head. "No, I am well," she said. "Just…this is all so fast."

For both, it really was. She remembered when she had first met Tony, and she had given him a tender yet loving kiss that had rendered him speechless. That had only been six months ago when Jeannie realized that she was totally, completely irrevocably in love with Tony Nelson. So many questions swam about inside her head.

Now that she would be his wife, could she learn to live as a mortal girl? Even if she did live as a mortal, what would happen when they decided to have children? Could they have them? And, what about her greatest enemy, the Blue Djinn? He would be furious once he found out, although he wouldn't be able to break the marriage contract once Tony and she were joined. Suppose he found a way, or worse, suppose Hadji, the Master of all the Genies, didn't agree with her marrying a mortal? Such a union had never happened before, and she didn't know if this was the right thing to do. Worse yet, she was marrying the man she wanted above all else under false pretenses.

For his part, Tony was a little afraid. His falling in love with Jeannie Gordon _had _happened suddenly. He had been in so many relationships, the most serious one culminating with Melissa six months before. He had even proposed to General Stone's daughter, and she had accepted. But he'd had second thoughts, particularly when she was intent on redesigning the plans for the life that Tony led. He had made it no secret that he did not want to relocate to Washington to become an attaché to her father. He was in Cocoa Beach because he wanted to be an astronaut.

The final nail in the coffin had come in the form of Grover Caldwell, an old flame of Melissa's who didn't mind being attached to her, let alone being an attaché. When she declared that the relationship between herself and Tony was off and she wanted Grover instead, the then Captain Nelson had been relieved.

The brown haired astronaut felt a memory trying to resurface. He knew that Melissa's first boyfriend had been the main reason he wasn't married now, but had Grover been the _only _reason? Tony's head throbbed as he tried to recall the events of that fateful day when Melissa had broken things up between them. _Was_ there another reason? Had there been another girl, perhaps?

If there was, Tony wondered, why couldn't he remember her?

Jeannie was looking at him with concern. "Is something wrong?" she queried. Tony gripped her hand and gave her a reassuring grin.

"No, sweetheart," he said. "I'm just…sorting through my memories. It seems like I'm forgetting something, something…recent." When Jeannie looked away suddenly, Tony stared straight ahead as he continued struggling to grab onto the memory.

His latest effort proving to be fruitless, Major Nelson raised her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly. "Come on," he said, "let's do this."

Jeannie fought the wave of fear at the love of her life's memory surfacing. She had tried in the beginning to blink Tony back to normal without success. Since she couldn't heal him, his mind would have to do that itself. But, she thought worriedly, what if he remembered who she really was before they got married?


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

**A/N: A very slight reference to the episode "Get Me to Mecca on Time" appears in this chapter. The ending of the story is a reworking of the ending of the episode "I'll Never Forget What's Her Name?"**

**Disclaimer: since I don't have a genie, I can't change the fact that I don't own squat. If I did, Major Nelson and Jeannie might have been married sooner, or at least, Season Five of the series would have been better written! Ah, well….**

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After spending an exhausting afternoon giving what he thought was a plausible explanation for being in Paris let alone hanging at the top of the Eifel tower, Roger found himself back in his apartment. Apparently, Jeannie had blinked him back, or her magic had worn off. This seemed to be a regular occurrence lately, and because he had materialized home after each episode, Roger was able to contact Doctor Bellows in no time.

Thank goodness he had given an alias to the French officials that they didn't scrutinize too closely. If If the French government or NASA ever really had gotten wind of some of the places he'd travelled to or had known who he really was, they might find out about Jeannie and her connection to both himself and Tony. As fond of her as Roger was, he wasn't going to let her ruin his career as an astronaut. Whatever it took, Roger would find out where the duo were in Jacksonville, break up the wedding, and in the process save Tony from making the biggest mistake of his life.

He called information to get the hotel's phone number. Once that was done and Roger had the address, he began the two and a half hour drive toward the northwestern part of the state.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It had taken an hour, but Tony had pulled a few strings since he was a NASA official and he had gotten the marriage license in record time. He stared at the piece of paper that would forever alter the course of his life. As he looked at Jeannie, Tony thought about how beautiful she would look wearing his ring and saying "I do" in front of the witnesses at City Hall.

While he'd waited for the license, the astronaut had changed in the men's room into a black silk blazer and shiny black shoes. Jeannie had changed into a white sleeveless dress with a knee high skirt that showed off her legs to perfection. The dress had a few pearls gathered here and there in a swirling design. She'd also done her hair so that some of her curls hung down from her forehead while other strands were caught by a silver comb at the back. She looked up at him. He could have sworn moonbeams were dancing in her eyes.

Her dress reminded him of a gown he had seen on a faceless blonde just then. At least, he thought she was blonde. Once again, Tony knew he was remembering something, but he couldn't will the complete memory to pop up to the surface. He had seen the woman clutching her purse and fussing a little with her hair before they left his house. She had said something about his saving her life that day. There had been a coach that they'd taken to go to dinner that night.

Beyond that, though, the astronaut couldn't remember anything about the blonde. One thing was for certain: he was trying to block her out, at least partially.

He looked at his fiancé. She seemed content, even happy, and in a spot of progress, she hadn't once requested a cup of coffee.

"You still okay?" he asked nervously. Jeannie looked into his warm blue eyes.

"I am still well," she said. "Are you? You're not having second thoughts about this?" She waited only a few seconds before receiving his answer. Inside however, the moments seemed like a lifetime.

"No, Jeannie," he said with conviction. "You're the girl of my dreams. The girl I've waited my whole life to marry."

Her eyes were tearing. Tony reached up to wipe them with his hand. "I love you, _so much,_" she said breathlessly.

"I love you," he said. Together, they entered the offices of City Hall. Inside, there were at least six other couples standing in front of the pair.

"What about the blood test?" Jeannie whispered.

"I checked before going for the license," Tony explained. "It's advised, but it isn't mandatory in this state. I just thought we should get married as soon as possible."

_Before I wake up from this dream, _they both thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Roger was elated as he finally reached the city limits an hour and a half after Tony and Jeannie had reached City Hall. Of course, that was only half the battle. He had to still find them.

"I've got to think like Tony," the other astronaut said. "If I were going to marry her in this city, where would I go?" Roger ignored the buxom blonde who had just walked past his car and focused on the question.

Picking up the newspaper he'd brought at a nearby gas station, Roger flipped through the pages. A headline on page three caught his attention.

_Record Numbers of Marrying Couples are engulfing City Hall._

His eyes widened as he realized the bone Fate had tossed him. "City Hall!" he shouted. He scanned the paper for an address. Once he found what he wanted, Roger drove on.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Names?" a kindly old woman with blue grey hair and thick glasses with rhinestones asked.

"Anthony Nelson and Jeannie Gordon," Tony replied. The woman noted the names.

"Do you have your license already?" she queried. Tony fished the marriage license from his pocket and handed it to the woman. After checking the credentials, the woman smiled.

"I'll get you the witnesses," she said. "There are only two more couples ahead of you." The woman indicated two wooden chairs with armrests.

"You can sit over there until you're called," she said. Tony and Jeannie took the seats.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

About a half hour later, Roger pulled up in front of City Hall, removing his disguise from the trunk. He put on the sunglasses and a dark haired wig so that he could pass for another man without Jeannie blinking him to, well, wherever she hadn't already sent him.

Across from where the disguised astronaut was, Jeannie waited anxiously for herself and Tony to be called. Again, she felt the guilt at lying to him about who she truly was gnawing at her insides. She wasn't much at praying, but she relied upon her belief in Allah at this moment.

_Please, show me the way, _she mentally prayed. _I must know: am I doing the right thing?_

Just then, Roger's eyes lighted on the pair. He saw the other couple in front of them. When the other two people went up to be married, Tony's best friend began to panic. How would he get Tony out of the line he was waiting in to marry Jeannie?

A black woman came up to the future Nelsons with several papers arranged on a clipboard in her hand. "Hi," she greeted, "I'm Malaysia Williams, one of your witnesses."

"Hi," Tony said, shaking the woman's hand.

"Hello," Jeannie greeted.

"And, Ah'm Steve Taylor, your other witness," Roger told Jeannie and Tony with a fake Southern accent.

When both returned a greeting, Roger's eyes lighted on the metallic pad in the woman's hand. He quickly ruled the pad out as not being strong enough for what he had in mind. As his eyes fell on the men's room, Roger came up with an idea.

"Hey, Mr. Nelson," he said to Tony. "You know, ah think you need to get ready for your marriage to this little filly, heah."

"I'm already ready," Tony insisted.

"Weelll, actually, you're almost ready to marry yoah bride," Roger said, "but ah noticed that yoah hair needs a little bit of comin'. If you'll come with me into the bathroom…".

Jeannie was only too happy to have a few more minutes to calm down. "Go ahead," she replied. "I will tell them to wait."

"Okay," Tony said, rushing toward the men's room. Roger followed him inside.

Tony stared into the mirror, but didn't find a hair out of place. "My hair looks fine," he told Roger.

"Oh, mah mistake," Roger said. "Ah'll just go in and answer the call of nature heah and Ah'll meet you outsahde, okay?"

"Sure," Tony said. Roger's eyes never left his back as Tony's best friend went to enter the stall. After studying himself in the mirror, Tony backed up a little to make sure he was still resplendent. Before he could walk toward the exit, Roger let the door slam, hitting Tony in the back of the head.

"OW!!" Major Nelson cried. When Roger left the bathroom stall, Tony gingerly was rubbing the back of his head and moaning.

"What the hell did you do _that _for?!" Tony shrieked. Roger removed his wig and glasses.

"It's me!" he cried.

Tony gave him a withering look. "Yeah, Roj, I kinda knew that!" he snapped. "What's the big idea? Are you trying to kill me?"

"No," Roger said. After putting a cold compress on his best friend's head, both astronauts emerged from the men's room a moment later. Tony spied Jeannie waiting in line. His eyes took in her white dress and the other couple, who were just leaving.

"Anthony Nelson and Jeannie Gordon," a voice announced. Tony went over to Jeannie and gave her a censuring look.

"Jeannie," he asked, "what are you doing? Why are you pretending to be my Aunt's friend?"

Jeannie frowned as she realized that her Master was back to normal. When she saw Roger next to Tony, her eyes blazed with accusation in them.

"You _told _him!" she shrieked. Just then, the Justice of the Peace came up to meet the astronaut and the genie.

"So, I take it you both are the happy couple?" the middle aged man asked Tony and Jeannie.

"No, we are not," Tony said, adding, "excuse us." He tugged Jeannie over to one side as Malaysia scratched her head. She left after a moment along with the Justice of the Peace to attend to the next couple.

Jeannie was furious. _This _was the sign? "You are _not _going to marry me?" she asked, damnation in her voice.

"No," Tony said. "You know we've been through this before. You're a genie and I'm an astronaut, and we can't get married." Roger nodded his agreement.

Jeannie looked from one man to the other. "All right," she said. The magic girl decided she would give them one final chance as she tilted her head to one side and peered at the astronauts.

"You are _sure _this is what you wish?" she asked, looking at Tony.

"I'm sure, Jeannie," he said, smiling.

"All right, then," Jeannie said again, blinking. Tony and Roger found themselves wearing yodeling outfits as they hung from a mountain in the middle of a blizzard in Switzerland.

"JEANNIE!! JEANNIE!!" they both shouted, hoping that she would blink them back to Cocoa Beach soon.

THE END


End file.
